To Senator the Patrician

I keep an unfading memory of your magnificence, and now I greet you through some very religious and holy bishops. The most holy lord bishop Domnus has arranged for them to travel to the imperial city, to put an end to the false charges raised against me. For certain men have invented open slanders against me and have badly disturbed the churches, for whose sake the Lord Christ “endured the cross, despising the shame,” and on whose behalf the band of the divine apostles and companies of victorious martyrs were handed over to many kinds of death. I call on your magnificence to fight for their peace. It would have been easy for the God of all to nod his head and scatter the threatening clouds. But he waits his time, and in this way he both shows the endurance of those under attack and gives us opportunities to do good. [a]